Plateau Governorship tussle: Useni, PDP to appeal tribunal’s judgment

Jos, Oct. 2, 2019

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Governorship candidate, rtd Lt.-Gen. Jeremiah Useni have resolved to challenge the judgment of the Tribunal which affirmed the election of Gov. Simon Lalong of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Useni, in a statement signed by his media consultant, Mr Abraham Yiljap,  said:”We’ll appeal the judgment”.

NAN reports that Justice Halima Suleiman, Chairman, Plateau Governorship Elections petition tribunal in the judgment delivered on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed Useni and PDP for want of proof.

The tribunal upheld the victory of Gov.  Lalong as the duly elected Governor of the state having been qualified to contest the Elections.

The tribunal also said that Useni and his party failed to unbundle the burden of proof of Electoral malpractices and non compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

In the statement, Useni, said that there were many grounds to appeal the judgment.

“ I have taken all processes with immediate effect to appeal the matter.

“I will deploy legal instruments to retrieve the mandate that the people of Plateau freely gave me at the polls” he said .

Useni, who expressed confidence in the Nigerian judiciary to do substantial justice,
further appealed to the people to keep hope alive and never to despair.